La Jornada: “Arbitrary”, the closing of the León Forum by the mayor Miguel Hidalgo and Invea

Members of the artistic community said they were “dismayed” after the closure of the León Forum, belonging to the photographer Enrique Covarrubias Robles, who denounced that authorities from the Miguel Hidalgo mayor’s office “arbitrarily” closed said space, which is located in the San Miguel Chapultepec Second Section neighborhood.

He maintains that the place is his “only means of support,” because years ago he was a victim of negligence while paragliding, causing him to fall from a height of more than 30 meters, the consequences of which left him immobilized, and now he depends on a wheelchair and constant medical care.

“A neighbor, who claims to have a sleeping disorder, accused us of supposedly making a lot of noise; specifically, he complained about the beeps that cargo trucks emit when they go in reverse and that are sometimes used when there is filming (in this space).

“The studio is rented for still photography and video filming, and access is open from 6 in the morning. Staff from the mayor’s office visited us to ask us to open a little later, and we accepted; in addition, we took measures to avoid further inconveniences,” explained Covarrubias.

According to the artist, a few days later the officials returned because there were again complaints about the noise, which were unjustified, since it came from a nearby construction and not from the studio.

“We allowed access for them to check, and they realized that the noise was coming from a building located on the back street. Later, on September 30, the Administrative Verification Institute (Invea) visited us and reviewed our documents, and it was confirmed that we have everything in order, including the use of land; they also notified us that the matter was closed because ‘they did not find any irregularity.'”

However, on Wednesday, May 13, without notice or notification, staff from the mayor’s office and Invea arrived with a closure order for the facility. In addition, a fine of more than 339 thousand pesos was imposed, which they had to pay.

“It is an unfair situation, I have many mobility problems and I depend on a nurse to take care of me all the time, which generates very high expenses, in addition to the medications. The fine was excessive and the procedures are a problem due to the conditions in which I find myself. We have the documentation in order.

“This space is the livelihood not only of me, but of many families; without that income our subsistence is in danger. That, without taking into account the loss of access to a place that allows artists and photographers to express themselves freely,” explained Covarrubias Robles.

“When my assistant paid the fine, the mayor’s office staff said that we may have to wait about 15 business days for them to remove the seals from the forum, and the official who assisted us said cynically: ‘all the documentation has to reach the boss, and if he doesn’t like something, he’s going to return it.’ It seems absurd to me.”

Members of the artistic community condemned the incident and argued that it is “inhumane that someone who suffers from a disability has to mobilize to carry out complicated bureaucratic procedures”; In addition, they reiterated their solidarity with the photographer.